Our First Year
by saiyuri-dahlia
Summary: A collection of connected holiday oneshots marking the first year of Shad and Link's relationship. Shad/Link, all year 'round. Now Posting: Christmas
1. Chapter 1

Series Title: Our First Year

Disclaimer: Yea, I still don't own TP.

Author's Notes: Truthfully, I don't read many holiday fics. I find them a bit gimmicky, the plots are usually similar, and more often than not the holiday being celebrated doesn't even exist in the country the story is set in or is celebrated differently. I've seen Fourth of July fics set in Japan—because celebrating America's independence is a national holiday everywhere.

But apparently the gimmick bug has hit me and I've decided to write a Shad/Link holiday series out of nowhere. Because I don't have enough to write apparently.

All in all, this series was written purely for the fun of it and for the challenge of having to write under a set deadline and is not really meant to be taken seriously. It is meant to be separate from all my other Shad/Link oneshots and be its own continuity, though admittedly I may make jokes and references. And the names of the holidays will be changed (like Valentine's Day is Lovers' Day because there was no Saint Valentine in Hyrule for the day to be named after). Really, I just hope we all have fun with this and as always, thanks for reading.

And now, the Halloween special.

-o-

Hallowtide (Halloween): The Treat of Terror

-o-

Arms crossed over his chest for warmth and trying to keep himself from noticeably rubbing them or bouncing his chilled body, Link didn't want to admit that Shad had been right—wasn't the first time and wouldn't be the last—about putting on a coat before they had left. The air was crisp and cool and the breeze was strong and frequent and Link was wishing he had put on more than a summer tunic and apparently the thinnest pants he owned. It did not help matters that the wind seemed determined to prove Shad's point that it was no longer summer by blowing cold and arching and wrapping itself against Link like a begging housecat.

He didn't want to complain though. Pride would not let him. He couldn't admit he was cold and let Shad know he had been right—he was right, of course—especially not after he had acted like a stubborn child and had playfully chided Shad about putting on his longcoat before they left.

And while Hallowtide traditions differed between Ordon Province and Castle Town, Link knew enough that it wasn't proper to disturb Shad for any reason as he stood, head bowed and eyes closed, before his father's washed grave marker. In Castle Town, folks honored their dead during Hallowtide by ritually washing their grave and leaving offerings. On the way to the cemetery, Shad had said he always visited his father on the first day but his mother would visit later on. There was no rift between them, though Shad's mother was hardly thrilled about him continuing his father's research, and it seemed by Shad's reasoning that she merely couldn't let her son see her break her stoic mask.

While it was a selfish thought and he restrained himself from urging Shad on, Link wished he would hurry and finish his thought so they could head over to the festival and he could get a hot chocolate. Hoping Shad was too lost in reverence to hear him, Link rubbed his arms and bounced his body for warmth. It seemed to do little good and shortened his patience.

Link's gaze found itself coming back to the photograph of Shad's late father the scholar had leaned against the grave marker. There was the same red hair, neatly-parted save for a few stray strands that refused to lay anywhere but in front of his eyes—Link finally knew where Shad's rebellious curl of hair had learned how to evade combs and separate itself from any hair gel, much to his happiness and Shad's daily frustration. There was the same eyebrows raised slightly in curiosity, the same mouth upturned into an amused smile that was about to give way into laughter. They even seemed to have the same folds in their ears.

The longer Link stood waiting and the longer his eyes kept meeting Shad's father's, the more Link felt like he was supposed to say something too. He rocked nervously from side to side, not sure of what to say or even how to begin. Shad's father had died long before he had ever met Shad and all he knew about him Shad had told him. Maybe he wasn't supposed to say anything, maybe he was supposed to remain politely silent but his father had been so important to Shad and Shad was important to him so Link felt like he should.

_Umm, you don't know who I am, sir, and you're probably wondering why I'm here. Shad has probably told why and more so there's probably no reason for me to say anything… It's just…I want to. If anything, I want to say thank you for bringing him into this world. You made a really smart, sweet guy. You've got nothing to worry about him. I promise I'll be there._

Off to the side, Link saw Shad open his eyes.

"Thank you for waiting," Shad said, reverent eyes still canted toward his father's photograph. "Pardon me if it was too long."

"Doesn't matter if it was. You needed time and I gave you time," Link said and then he pressed his chilled hands together as if in prayer, brightened his smile, and added, "But can we _please_ go to the festival now?"

"Of course, old boy," Shad said, smiling in amusement, as he bent down and picked up his father's photograph and returned it to his inner coat pocket. "I presume you are in need of hot chocolate by now, are you not?"

"Nope. Not at all," Link lied, tilting his head up in obstinacy.

"Is that so?" Shad said, making a show of his disbelief, as he and Link proceeded back to the cemetery gates. "My, you have quite the will to endure such a chill. I say, it is greater than mine."

"It's not that cold," Link said, trying not to shiver. "Not like it's winter yet."

"Merely autumn," Shad said, looking at the trees as they passed by, their leaves a rich gold, red, orange, or even purple. "Lovely foliage this year. Much more impressive than last year's downright pitiful display."

Link knew what Shad was doing. He knew what he was trying to get him to say, even by seemingly talking about something else. Link was stubborn, yes, and more often than not Shad was right but Link eventually would figure that out but refuse to admit it until he and Shad had a dance of words and Link would finally give in.

And it was about time Link gave in, he reluctantly figured.

"Fine. _I'm cold._"

"Given that it is a bit unseasonably cool this Hallowtide, I do not consider that news surprising at all." Link was not sure if Shad was smiling or smirking. Could've been either.

"Yea…well…" Link said, looking away and rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment as he braced himself for the inevitable lecture to come. "Say it already."

"Pardon?" Shad said. "Now what ever are you referring to, old boy?"

"Don't play dumb. We both know you're smarter than that."

"I appreciate the compliment however I truly do not understand what it is you mean."

"Tell me I should've worn a coat," Link said, raising his voice. "Tell me how childish I acted. You were right. I was wrong. Let me have it. I deserve it."

Shad still pretended to be befuddled. "Why should I inform you of something you are already aware of?" he said. "There is no requirement for me to say anything."

"But I was wrong—"

"About the weather, my dear," Shad said, calmly and measured with patience. "We are all okay. The sky has not fallen, merely the leaves and that is a feature this time of year."

That was not how Link had expected things to go. He had expected a reprimand. He had expected to be explained in detail how much of a pain he had been earlier. He expected Shad to tell him he told him so because he was correct and he was wrong. He expected to get what he deserved in return.

But Shad had a point. There was nothing he could say that Link had not already figured out or felt on his goosefleshed skin.

"Well, I'm sorry. For what I said, did earlier." Link said, bowing his head. "I was being goatheaded."

"Stubbornness is kin to determination and are often only distinguished by perception, old boy," Shad said. "The important matter is that you come to your senses with time."

"Yea…well…" Link said, looking away and smiling sheepishly. "I should've worn a coat."

"Yes, I do believe you should," Shad said and then stopped just outside the cemetery gates. Taking notice, Link paused mid-step and turned and saw the scholar unbuttoning his longcoat. He watched with uncertainty at what seemed like the scholar taking his coat off for him (but that would've left him without a coat and that made no sense to Link) when he caught a glimpse of a familiar deep blue and then, as Shad removed his longcoat and handed it to him to hold for him, he saw the second coat.

Link was speechless. His mouth hanging open the entire time, he stared briefly at the coat and then peered up into Shad's soft eyes.

"I thought you might regret your decision so I prepared accordingly," Shad explained as he removed and passed the second coat to Link. "There. That is bound to be beneficial to staving off the chill. I say, it must be awfully uncomfortable."

Tipping his head downward in an attempt to hide his blush, Link gratefully accepted the coat. It was still warm. "Thank you…"

"You are welcome, old boy," Shad said, smiling in return. "Though you do select the oddest matters to proverbially dig your heels in, I must say."

"I thought I was right," Link said, grinning as he casually shrugged his shoulders. "But yea, that really was a stupid little thing to argue over."

"Our words were hardly heated or tense so I do not believe we could consider that a true argument," Shad said as they made their way onward to the festival. "I would say it was merely a mild disagreement."

"Still I'll buy a pie in apology."

"There is no need for you to go to the trouble as I have long since forgiven you," Shad said. "Besides, you should purchase one with the intent of enjoying it, not to appease."

Link managed to stifle all but a snort of laughter as he grinned and wrapped his arm around Shad's and took the scholar's hand.

The festival buzzed with the sounds of folks chattering, vendors calling pitches, meats sizzling, kettlecorn bursting from their kernels, oil crackling, and caldrons bubbling. The air was hazy with smoke and shimmered with heat. Every few feet the scent in the air would change—it began with buttery fresh kettlecorn faded into smoked pork and then was suddenly replaced by cooked apples and cinnamon with just a dash of nutmeg.

There were performers in costume, crafts and Hallowtide masks for sell, and games to play. Begged by a pair of young brothers to help them scoop a goldfish, Link obliged but was soon swarmed in a sea of local kids begging for goldfish too. There were soon lots of grinning children running around with a goldfish in a bottle and one closed goldfish-scooping game.

"I say, it appears we retain a stray," Shad said as Link lifted the last bottle and admired the goldfish's shine in the afternoon sunlight, the first he had seen all day on this particularly gray and gloomy Hallowtide. "What shall we do with the poor creature? Surely one of the children will be delighted to adopt it from us."

"I'll give it to Colin," Link said and put the bottle into his supply pouches. Even though he wasn't wearing the Hero's tunic, Link still found its bottomless pouches quite handy, especially when he intended on reaping plenty of the fruits of autumn's splendor. The sugary, baked, flaky, sticky, crispy fruits of autumn's splendor.

And so with their quest through the food stands successful, Link and Shad came out many rupees lighter and carrying several sacks of treats and baked goods, not to mention what Link had purchased and stored away in his pouches. Maybe it was all the sugar and meat and cinnamon in the air going to his head but Link felt absolutely giddy.

"Isn't this the best part of Hallowtide?" he said, grinning, as they continued through the decorated central square. "The food, the chill in the air, the children smiling and laughing, the food, the changing leaves, the foo—is that a fried pumpkin roll slice? Yes, that is. We're trying that."

"I have always found the juxtaposition of somber mourning and wild frivolity of Hallowtide most peculiar. Actually I consider our fleeting respects paid to the dead overshadowed by our desires to skip and frolic and feast rather inappropriate. I say, more attention should be bestowed on grim memorial, not apple-bobbing and dressing up as hobgoblins," Shad said before adding. "And no, we are not trying that. We have enough as is. There is no necessity to ravage your body further with that ridiculous concoction."

"Because _it's fun,_" Link said. "After all, the best way to honor the dead is to enjoy life. And fried pumpkin rolls are not ridiculous. That is the single greatest creation the Goddesses have ever made."

"Yes and the universe was just a trifling in comparison," Shad said dryly, raising his head high and ignoring Link's disapproving frown and stare. "Indeed, overindulging on fried foods and sweets is the best way to honor the dead by hastening our accompaniment to our loved ones. You know, recent studies has proven a link between over-consumption of fats and sugars to many new diseases."

"Shad, or should I say pot," Link said, matching his dry tone, and lifted the sacks of pies, cakes, tarts, and plenty more up a little. "Meet kettle."

"Yes, yes, point taken," Shad said quickly, heat showing on his cheeks. "Still I have never understood the particular charm of this day. It is a day we celebrate what frightens us most. Amid fest and cheer, why exalt the wicked? There are fellows dressed as redead shuffling about the grounds screaming at people. How can that be considered entertainment?"

"Because their costumes are terrible, their screams are far from ear-piercing, and everyone knows they're hired guys. We pretend to be afraid of them. Most kids aren't even scared of them. They attack them. It's why they all have soldiers following them around."

"I say, that one little boy was absolutely terrified," Shad said. "He ran right to you bawling and shaking and begged you to eradicate the redead."

"_Most_ kids," Link repeated. "And I fought the redead and won. Luckily, they were up for the idea. Made quite a show. Which reminds me…we should swing by Borville's and check up on that last guy."

"Yes, it would be proper to do so," Shad said. "I say, we should also offer some sort of compensation for his damages. By the favor of the Goddesses, hopefully he has regained consciousness and the function of his right hand."

"Yea…really didn't mean to do that," Link said, looking away to the other side and rubbing his neck in shame. It really had been an accident. Overpowered by instinct amidst the action, he had just sort of…forgotten the redead were just guys in bad costumes. The guy had still been breathing and his pulse had felt good so that had to mean something. "Hey, you think he'd love a fried pumpkin roll?"

"We are not tasting that," Shad said with finality. "It will just make you sick and I for one will not expend the rest of the evening keeping bedside vigil and mollycoddling you for your poor judgment."

"I'm not going to get sick," Link said, pausing by the water fountain and swiftly earning a disbelieving stare from the scholar. "_I'm not._ I survived Coro's soup and since then never had one stomachache. Ate a poisonous mushroom once, nothing. I can eat anything."

Pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes in frustration, Shad took a deep breath and sighed. "Why I am not surprised that one terrible decision has gifted you the capability to lay wreckage to your body without consequence? I have observed the kind hermit's distant approximation to food and I consider it baffling that you once deemed it a wise choice to taste it. Might I inform you that Ashei utilizes his concoction as a poison for her arrowheads."

"Huh, really? That's a good idea," Link peered up at the gray sky and considered. "Anyway, you don't have to worry. I won't get sick. You're going to help me eat it."

"And what makes you presume that I will?"

"Because we're both holding pumpkin pie, apple pie, squash pie, sweet potato pie, caramel pie, apple tarts, pumpkin tarts, pumpkin cake, apple cake, carrot cake, caramel spice cake…" Link quickly took in a loud breath and continued, "…sticky toffee pudding, apple raisin pudding, spice pudding, apple butter, cinnamon honey butter, sorghum, caramel apples, pumpkin fudge, peanut butter fudge, chocolate fudge, and I forgot how many cookies, doughnuts, and candies and I'm sure I'm still forgetting a few more things. Face it. Find a stand. We're in business."

"If I may remind you, you have forgotten that some of our purchases are intended for loved ones."

"Shad, be honest," Link said, both his stare and voice even. "Most of this is staying."

Stare darting about, Shad grew flustered as his face brightened several shades of red. "Well, do not place all the blame on me, old boy! Our personal bakery and confectionary store has been a joint construction, has it not? Now if I had merely composed a list of necessities and adhered strictly to it and not befallen to temptation and if your stomach could not overrule your logical reasoning, we would not be in this so-called business."

With his face still quite red, Shad rushed through the hustle and bustle with Link hurrying in tow. When he finally caught back up with the scholar, he waited until the pink had left his cheeks and his irritation (more like embarrassment) had softened before Link even considered trying to charm or playfully tease Shad.

Of course, Link didn't see why he was being so sensitive. Maybe it was a lot and would've been impossible for the pair of them to carry without Link's special supply pouches but as he thought about it, it really wasn't that much_._ Some of it was going to Ordon and Renado and Luda in Kakariko Village, some of it could be stored and last a while, and the rest wouldn't sit for long. Link would definitely eat it. And much as it embarrassed him whenever he was called out on it, Shad had a sweet tooth—actually Link was pretty sure his blood was pure honey and his bones were rock candy. There was always something sweet around the scholar's apartment, though admittedly never to this amount. Perhaps it was a lot…

"Shad, between you and me…" Link said as he peeked inside their sacks and worked the math, "…we could take this. Two weeks, you think?"

"Absolutely, old boy," Shad said without pause. "In fact, I would say you are being generous with your estimations."

"So…fried pumpkin roll?" Link leaned toward Shad and brightly grinned.

The scholar tried to ignore him. He tried to keep his face impassive and his mouth permanently drawn into a straight frown. He tried to keep his head up and his eyes either closed or focused solely ahead. He tried to pretend he was above it all as Link grinned and plead and blew on his ear and nudged his elbow against his side to tickle him and tried to kiss him.

"You know you're curious," Link whispered in his ear, narrowing his eyes at him in a conspiring manner while keeping his grin. "You want to try it too. Smells really good, doesn't it?"

"Your stubbornness is as persistent and irritating as a briar in one's side sometimes, you know that, old boy?"

Link did not say anything and merely kept staring and grinning as Shad held his head high and tried to ignore him. Shad had said that determination and stubbornness were a lot alike and Link knew that was true because they felt the same to him. The only way he knew one from the other was whether or not he was pressing on Shad's nerves.

Still never giving up had always worked for Link before…

His frown drawn as tight as it could, Shad glanced over at Link, saw nothing had changed, and finally breathed a deep sigh. "If this is the only remedy to your juvenile antics," he said, with a grain of reluctance, "let us head back and we will taste it."

If his arms weren't weighed down with their purchases, Link would have hugged him in thanks so instead he grinned brighter than the first ray of sunlight summoned by the Hero of Time's Sun Song.

And so with their tasting complete and one whole fried pumpkin roll rounding out their festive autumn purchases and with there being nothing else particularly delicious to the eye or one's nose or mouth they hadn't already bought left, Link and Shad both agreed it was time to head back to Shad's apartment for now until dinner.

There were little witches running around and poes, bulblins of all colors, stalfos and even a few very convincing Skull Kids munching on candied apples as they made their way over toward to the eastern road. So it seemed that someone in charge of organizing the festival had decided it was a bright idea to change the main eastern road into a haunted house, which was less so much a house than a long row of connected rooms, making it more of a haunted tunnel really. There were probably better, less inconvenient places they could have set it up but this was where someone in authority to do so had decided to put it.

"Bless Nayru's wisdom, She certainly bestowed the festival committee fellows a very _peculiar _location for this…this makeshift monstrosity this year," Shad said, frowning in disapproval. "It appears we must double back and proceed up the southern entrance to the eastern road if we hope to return home."

"Or we could go through it?" Link said, grinning.

"Why in heavens would we do that?"

"Because it's Hallowtide," Link said, "and it's fun."

"Again, I do not comprehend how terror is supposed to be a form of entertainment."

"Because it's when we feel most alive," Link said and Shad rolled his eyes. "Think about it. When you're scared, your heart races, your blood rushes, and every muscle in your body feels like a bari jellyfish has shot you full of electricity. In that moment, when you're most vulnerable, you feel everything, down to the very spark of life Farore blessed you."

"That is the fight or flight response, old boy, and it is an autonomic survival response to potential predators," Shad explained dryly. "Meaning that when our lives are in immediate danger, our bodies either proceed with eliminating the target by force or fleeing from it and I for one do not believe placing my life in jeopardy is a source of amusement."

"The danger isn't real, Shad. It's just people in masks popping out and screaming in the dark."

"Oh and that sounds like a jolly good time," Shad said wryly.

"_Shad…_" Link said as he hastily stuffed his sacks into the void of his supply pouches and pulled the scholar aside and over to the wrought-iron fencing. "It's not that bad. Why else would we set up one every year if it was so awful and people didn't go?"

"I do not know," Shad said. "I do not see the appeal myself."

"Then you'll have to see!" Link said as he made Shad's sacks vanish into his pouches as well. "Come on, let's go in."

Wrapping his arms around one of the scholar's arms, Link pulled Shad toward the costumed attendant in front of the haunted house. "I would rather not," Shad said, trying to slow Link down or at least pull his arm out from his grasp. "You may, if you so desire. However, I will select an alternate passage home."

"Aww, where's your adventurer's spirit? Your intellectual curiosity?" Link said. "Have you ever been in one?"

"I do not consider this a matter of intellectual curiosity as I have never possessed the inclination to enter one of these phantom fabrications."

"Are you scared to go in?"

"No. Why ever would I be?" Shad said, an eyebrow raised at a questioning slant. "These so-called 'haunted' houses employ cheap tricks and scare tactics to garner screams from their paying attendees and why ever would I offer a single rupee toward permitting a fellow in makeup to rush from the shadows and frighten me? It is absolutely ridiculous. The whole ramshackle lot is an eyesore and a waste."

"Shad, don't get mad at me, but…" He knew he was pressing on a nerve but it wasn't like he was wrong. "…You sounded just like your mother."

Shad's eyes immediately grew wide. "I did not."

Link nodded firmly, fully bracing himself for Shad's heated self-defense. Shad began to speak but then closed his mouth and peered down at the cobblestone street and considered. The immediate outrage on his face swiftly softened.

"I see your point," Shad said, much to Link's surprise, "however I still believe more attention should be given toward honoring the dead and less to folly. However, the festival is good for local commerce and provides much entertainment and treats and yet it also offers up frights, which I have never understood…"

Link knew enough from the way the scholar held his eyes and head downward that he wasn't necessarily talking to him. Shad was simply working through his thoughts aloud.

"And if I am to understand why people enjoy being frightened at Hallowtide, I must seek and gather answers. Father would have advised that himself." As his thoughts focused on his father, Shad grew quiet. "And if I am to honor his memory, I must seek to understand."

"So we're going in?" Link asked hopefully and Shad nodded. "Yes! This is going to be so much fun."

"I do hope so," Shad said. "After all, the best way to honor the dead is to enjoy life, as someone once said."

Being walking courage himself, Link wasn't afraid of anything in the dark or in the sudden presence of light illuminating screaming faces and various frightening clockwork dolls and creatures. Word had apparently spread through the actors that the Hero was passing through so each one gave their 'audition'. They tried their best and quite a few Link had to applaud for their spirit but the only kind of scream they earned from him was a roar of laughter. Which was for the best since if one of them had happened to actually scare him, Link most likely would have hit them and he really didn't need to send another poor soul to Borville today.

There were poes and keese sliding past on wires, stalfos marionettes, and creatures resembling Twilight beasts clawing at passersby. From what he could see in what little dim light was allowed, most of the details were right, though he caught a few errors he thought about correcting to whomever he was supposed to—the stalchildren were at his chest-height and the bulblin corpse's organs were arranged like a human's would be and there were other little details he could have offered them to add more realism if they wanted. None of the actors had actually seen a redead or stalfos and didn't actually know how they moved or attacked. They could've used some firsthand accounts.

But in the end, the house was for fun and Link was not a normal young Hylian man who hadn't had to fight and hadn't survived these monsters on a regularly basis like he had on his journey so what if their details weren't absolutely exact? More he thought about it, the more he was relieved their costumes and puppets weren't realistic. There was no telling how much property damage he'd tally up if suddenly his mind couldn't decide whether the monsters were fake or real but that it was a good idea to wipe them all out just in case.

As they walked through the haunted house, Link looked over at Shad and had expected the scholar to at least look around nervously but he didn't look nervous at all. Really, from his frown and the way he crossed his arms over his chest, he looked more bored and annoyed than anything else. Yea, some of the machines were corny and the sound effects came on at regular intervals and hiding spots for actors were quite obvious at times but still he had expected Shad to jump at something. But no, nothing so much made a whimper come out of the scholar. In fact, he showed interest at many of the creepy clockwork creations.

"My father built these by commission for the annual haunted house. He loved Hallowtide," Shad explained as he examined the working gears inside a clockwork alligator's opening jaws. "…I suppose I did too, at least the non-horrific aspects. I say, I wonder if I may ever be permitted to purchase back some of my father's pieces… I would very much like to, once they are no longer of interest or necessary here."

Continuing their walk-through and figuring they were nearly to the end, it became quite apparent to Link that his plans weren't going to turn out at all as he had hoped. Personally, he had not cared either way if they had gone through the haunted house or not. He had just had his own reasons for wanting to go inside with Shad but the scholar hadn't gotten scared as he had expected. Going through the haunted house wasn't nearly as fun as he had hoped it would have been.

Back at Shad's apartment, Link quickly busied himself with the task of emptying out his pouches and helping Shad sort their purchases from their gifts while Shad quickly put on the teakettle. It wasn't long before his table and countertops and living room coffee table were filled.

"I do not recall purchasing this. Correction, I had not even noticed these for sale," Shad said, picking up a thin box full of potato candy pinwheels. "Good eye, old boy. …Wait, these are for the house or are they for family?"

"Both," Link said, still pulling treats from his pouches. "Bought three boxes."

"Wonderful, old boy," Shad said. "Ah, the apple cider vinegar is for Mother."

"Figures," Link said, the stream of sweets rising from his pouches' void remaining steady. "All the cakes and pies and sweets you could dream for and your mother would like vinegar the best."

"There's some black walnut fudge for her somewhere," Shad said as he looked about in search and Link muttered exactly what he thought about black walnuts under his breath and stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Now what ever is the matter with that? I happen to like black walnut fudge as well."

"You like fudge," Link shot back, grinning. "Doesn't matter what's in it."

Link saw Shad needle a glare at him and his cheeks grow red in embarrassment. He didn't get why the scholar became so ruffled at the slightest jab at his love of sugar. It wasn't exactly a secret between them. In fact, there was cake involved the very night he and Shad had gotten together.

With a cup of tea to warm and rouse, Shad sorted goods for the house and for their friends and family and left a small note on each marking what went to who as Link dug through his pouches for any straggling sweets.

"I think that's all," he said, poking his head out from the open pouch. "I swam around and didn't see anything so that must be it."

"I say, unless that family of raccoons found a means to return inside and scurried off with something," Shad said as Link pulled himself out from his pouch, "I do believe you are correct."

"Oh yea…the raccoons," Link said, fondly remembering his playtime with the little babies and the moment their mama raccoon begrudgingly decided Link was not a threat. Unfortunately after a month of living inside his pouch, Shad had came for a visit, discovered his pouch-mates, and promptly forced Link to evict them. "Why couldn't I keep them again?"

"Because I refuse to have a boyfriend that carries potential carriers of lethal hydrophobia on his belt."

"Fair enough."

At long last, with only one break for cake and tea, Link and Shad finally had everything sorted and stored and set aside and readied to be gifted. Both headed over and sat down on Shad's plush sofa. Link, still disappointed about his haunted house plans, stared absentmindedly at the ceiling and frowned.

"We did purchase too much," Shad said as he looked away from the kitchen. "Something wrong, old boy? You seem rather glum. Or are you simply as exhausted as I am?

"Oh, no. I'm fine," Link said, putting on a smile.

"Are you positive, old boy?" Shad said. "I noticed you seemed unhappy as we exited the haunted house you had been so eager and insistent on entering. I say, it was hardly a grand spectacle but was it truly that disappointing?"

"No, it was as good as you'd expect," Link said. "It's just…well…you'll laugh."

"I say, I will not. What ever is bothering you, I would like to know."

Leaning forward, Link tapped his fingertips together and smiled sheepishly. He knew Shad would laugh because Link wanted to laugh. The idea was great in his head and in action but it sounded stupid now that he had to tell Shad. He had to, though. The scholar would persist until he told him.

"Well, I had been hoping that you would've gotten scared in the haunted house so I could have…" It sounded so ridiculous Link almost couldn't let the rest of his words escape. "…Comforted you."

"Do I look like an adolescent girl?" Shad said without pause.

Link cringed and tried to hide his face behind his arm. Shad definitely had a point there. While he was sure to be frightened by a real bulblin or redead, Link had to admit he shouldn't have expected the scholar to be frightened by those poor masks and costumes. Still there had to be a reason why a lot of couples went into haunted houses together and it had to be fun or why else would people go in?

"I say, you can be incredibly dense sometimes, you know that?"

Link glanced over and saw Shad smiling. He wasn't sure why. Seemed more like the scholar would have been insulted by his goofy gesture rather than pleased. And yet he was smiling. He was smiling as he scooted down the sofa and sat right next to Link, as he put his arm behind Link's shoulder and wrapped his other loosely around his waist, as he laid his lips on the curve of Link's neck and shoulder.

"You realize that if affection is what you desired, all you simply had to do was ask," Shad said. "And perhaps not even that was required."

"I just thought it would've been fun."

"I see. Sorry I did not respond appropriately," Shad said softly as he tilted his head upwards and his nose brushed along Link's jawline. "But if you require more validation of your big, strong Hero status, I am positive Queen Zelda would be all too delighted to bestow a ball or two in your honor. Mind you, you would have to attend and perform a commencement dance with her, instead of me, old boy, however if you wish to feel like a hero some more…"

Link groaned. "I knew it was a stupid idea…"

"No, not really. I understand your intentions and I believe I might now see your point about the thrill of being frightened, permitting there is a brave protector standing by," Shad said and kissed Link right under his earlobe. "Thank you, my dear, for reminding me what I relished about this holiday in my boyhood and for teaching me that though we honor the dead during this holiday, in truth, we celebrate life as well."

"With cake," Link added.

Shad sighed as he looked back over his shoulder and into his kitchen at the many cakes and pies and autumn treats lining his countertops and table. "An entire bakery storefront of cake so it seems…"


	2. Chapter 2

Series Title: Our First Year

Disclaimer: Yea, I still don't own TP.

Author's Notes: Thanks to the ever fabulous Kitade for reviewing and being a sounding board and to all those that faved the first story.

I was lucky to finish this story in time since a week before Thanksgiving I got a new job, which obviously changed my writing schedule. This story barely made it and the one for Christmas probably will cut it close too. And eventually I'll update "Wind" and "Angels" when I can. I haven't abandoned them, I swear. Life loves to give me stories, long complex ones at that, but does not give me much time in which to write them…

Boyfriends or not, this was bound to happen and why not at Ordon's equivalent to Thanksgiving? Because it's just not Thanksgiving without a huge fight at the dinner table. And apparently, pumpkin ketchup exists. I had no idea it did.

-o-

Day of Harvest Gratitude (Thanksgiving): Gather Around the Bird

-o-

Breathing in the brisk morning air, feeling the icy burning sensation in his lungs, as he walked through the forest with a dead wild turkey secured to his belt, Link couldn't be happier. Mornings like these were the kind Link got up and out early for—these same mornings were the kind his dear Shad would groan about in bed and cocoon himself in blankets for the most part. It was cold, yes, but he found the gray dawn peaceful, the chill invigorating, and the quiet healing.

In the hush, Link easily picked up the sounds of squirrels scurrying and chirping in the boughs overhead. If he wasn't sure Rusl had trapped enough already, he definitely would have drawn his bow. While he wouldn't have needed a reason to walk the woods this early, he had slipped into his hunting boots and jacket and headed out before dawn to bag an extra turkey just to be on the safe side. Wasn't like it wouldn't be appreciated or go uneaten—after all, a turkey leg after dessert made the perfect snack.

Despite last week's windstorm, some leaves had managed to hold tight to their branches. Of course, most of the trees were only a handful of wilted brown leaves away from spending the rest of winter pretending to be giant bucks anyway. Frost coated the forest bed of fallen leaves, at least Link thought it was frost. A gentle flurry of fat snowflakes lazily drifted down around him so it could have been either or both.

He hadn't needed to go far to flush out a wild turkey so he was back home within an hour, half of that time spent wandering and enjoying the sight and smell of the crisp morning woods. Link was almost home though, and he was glad to be—he could smell the bread Rusl was baking for the harvest feast and, much as frozen pine reminded him of home just as much as the scent of hay and roasted pumpkin, there was nothing he liked more than his house smelling like warm bread until late into the afternoon.

His stomach growled as the smell of bacon joined the smell of fresh bread as he hung the turkey from its feet from a tree. He planned on plucking and preparing it after breakfast but first he headed down the worn dirt road down to the village while the thought to do so was still with him.

Every cooking fire in the village was burning and providing whiffs and hints of the feast to come. In comparison to the Castle Town festivities of Hallowtide, the celebration during the Day of Harvest Gratitude throughout Ordon Village was mild in comparison. Of course, it wasn't celebrated in Castle Town—the nobility and a growing number of merchants turned their nose up at celebrating a peasant's holiday. Individual farming communities had their own harvest celebrations but only Ordon Province had made theirs a calendar festivity.

There were scarecrows that were not scarecrows but Grain Mothers weaved from corn and wheat, crowned with dried leaves, and given acorn necklaces and wild turkey feather wings by the children, ribbons and bows of red, orange, and brown hung from roofs, and the last of the gourds and squashes sat out by every door, both as a decoration and for storage, given the cooler days and colder evenings. Pergie every year made these beautiful pine wreathes and decorated them with little corn dollies, dried marigolds and chrysanthemums, acorn clusters, and red, orange, and brown ribbons for everyone. This year, she had Rusl forge several small pumpkin-shaped bells that made such a bright and happy tinkling sound—more than once the kids were told to be careful ringing them and not to shake the wreathes.

Their decorations may have been rustic and homemade and they didn't have lines of vendors selling meats and treats along every street, and for that matter, their streets weren't swarming with chatty celebrants but it was an important day within the Hyrulean year worthy of celebration and making and eating tons of food on so Castle Town didn't know what it was missing.

Opening Rusl and Uli's door, Link poked his head in the doorway and said hello. Uli was laying the baby in her nearby cradle, hushing her gently as her little girl fussed a bit as she laid her down. Smell told him they already had their turkey in the oven but sight told him Uli was preparing to make her cucco and rice soup.

"Oh, Link…back already?" she said, pausing as she measured out the rice. "Rusl did not burn the loaves, did he? I have more dough rising if he did."

"I haven't been home yet but it smells like he hasn't," Link said, rummaging in his supply pouches and pulling out a handful of herbs. "Found these. Looks like it's the last of the season."

"Ah, thank you, Link," Uli said and set aside what she could use in her soup and quickly put away the others in their proper jars.

Colin came from their back bedrooms and into the kitchen and greeted Link as he grabbed a bottle filled with tiny dried bugs off a shelf and headed over to the fish bowl sitting on a small square table by the window. Link was honestly surprised the goldfish he had won in a game at Hallowtide and gave to Colin was not only still alive but looking fat and healthy under the gentle boy's care. Even with fair care, most of the goldfish usually died after a week or so, if not the night they were caught. It was pretty impressive that it was still alive for nearly a month now.

"Shiny fishy, you've got there," he said, crouching down beside him as the boy struggled to pull the tight cork out of the bottle. Just as Link gestured to hand it over to him, the cork popped free. "He looks happy to see you."

"I wonder if she does, but really I think she just wants her breakfast," Colin said as he fed his fish, which he had apparently decided was a girl. Link didn't know how to tell and Colin didn't know either but one of them had to be right. "I named her Pumpkin."

"I can see why," Link said as he watched the mostly orange goldfish swim swiftly around her bowl. "If she gets rounder, Bo can make soup out of her." Link grinned to show he was just kidding but Colin didn't like the idea of anyone eating his fish at all.

"Be careful, sweetheart," Uli called from the kitchen. "Fish don't know when they're full so they'll eat and eat until they overeat and die."

"Is that what'll happen to Link?" Colin said, matching Link's playful grin with his own cheeky smile as Link stuck his tongue out and pretended to be hurt. For a moment, they grinned at one another and then Link pulled Colin closer and tickled him.

"You know, for your cheek, boy, I might have to eat her, " Link said, clicking his teeth in sharp bites as Colin giggled and wiggled in his arms.

"Please don't," Colin said through his laughter. "I like her very much."

"Well then, in that case…" Link said as he stilled his hands and simply hugged Colin. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like her."

Colin circled around and wrapped his small arms around Link's neck. "She better not go missing. I'll know it was you."

Link matched Colin's grin. "Not to worry. She has the Hero's protection." And then laying one hand on his heart and raising his other, he promised, "I solemnly swear she will not leave her bowl unless it is with your permission or by the will of her own two fins."

"You think you can get Talo to say that?" Colin asked as Link rose to standing.

"I'll talk to him," Link said, smiling as he tousled Colin's hair. "Y'know, that turkey is smelling great." His stomach growled. "…I haven't had breakfast yet."

"It will be a while before the feast... You better tide yourself over with something, Link," Uli said, holding a long plate with two rolls of ready bread dough. "Would you take these to Rusl?"

Link agreed, said he'd stop by later, and headed back to his house with the plate of covered loaves in hand. On the way, his stomach grumbled once more, reminding him he only had two fistfuls of pumpkin seeds as he headed out for the turkey this morning. He thought about what he wanted to eat that was quick to make since more than likely Shad wouldn't have their breakfast ready yet. The oven fire had probably just now warmed up his house enough to draw Shad from their covers and bring himself to make his tea.

Which was why Link was surprised to see his dear scholar up and about and fully dressed as he first opened his door. He was dressed, yes, if one didn't count he was wearing his bunny slippers, which according to Shad were not bunnies but keaton but they looked like bunnies to Link and he had never seen a keaton before so he was still going to call them bunnies. He guessed Rusl's presence had forced Shad to get up and dressed for sake of keeping proper appearance.

And much to Link's delight, Shad had made breakfast already.

"Good morning, old boy," Shad said as Link handed off the loaves to Rusl to bake next. "I surmise your hunt was successful?"

"Yea, I got a good sized tom," Link replied as he took off his hunting boots and put away his bow and quiver. "I'll get it into the oven after I eat."

"You would figure this time of the year all the wild turkeys would hide," Rusl said as he removed the first of the finished loaves and set them aside to cool. "But I suppose they are not intelligent birds like hawks."

"You could train a turkey to hop onto your arm with the hawk grass, I'm sure. What it would do for you, I don't know," Link said, stepping toward Shad as the scholar made the dough for his beef…pastry rolls—that wasn't what it was called but Link couldn't remember the Castle Town nobleman for which Shad's fancy beef dish was named after. "…Maybe you could train it to pluck and bake itself?"

"No, it would be inhumane to train a turkey to self-immolate itself," Shad said, sprinkling a bit more flour on his rolled out dough. "If there is nothing of practical use you can train it to perform, why not teach it to play one of those miniature pianos?"

"Then what would we teach the cucco to play? The flute?" Link said, earning a smile from the scholar. Knowing he was focused on his feast offering, Link jumped on the chance and slipped his chilled fingers down Shad's collar and pressed them against his neck.

Shad shouted and jumped at the cold and then grew angry and swatted the rolling pin at him. Knowing he wouldn't actually hit him anyway, Link, laughing, still stepped back and raised his hands up to his chest in defense.

"Go consume your breakfast, you great vexatious imp, you!" Shad shouted and Link, still grinning and faintly laughing, made his way to his table to do just that, catching sight of Rusl smiling in amusement at him and the tiny shake of his head that either meant he couldn't believe he had done that or informed him that he shouldn't do that again.

Link sat down to his breakfast and for not more than a minute, the three fellows were busy in their work and said not a word for quite some time until Rusl spoke.

"Shad, did you know there was a virgin grove hidden within Faron Woods?" he said, tossing more wood into the stove. "There are some ruins there I do believe you will find interesting."

"There are?" Shad said, curiosity raised. "I say, I have heard whispers of speculation about the possibility, however I have not possessed the time to verify such a potential lead. Indeed, I have been meaning to, I will assure you, however I feel there is a bit more work I have yet to complete on my research of the sky beings."

And once again, as it tended to do every once in a while before it was buried in a safe spot and forgotten, the mental note to tell Shad about the City in the Sky breathed air once more. He had always meant to tell him but something had always gotten in his way or it wasn't the right time so Link always promised to tell him and then forgot. Over and over and over.

Now probably would have been a good time, except for the fact that Link's mouth was stuffed with eggs, sausage, and potatoes and the second he unstuffed his mouth, he wanted to stuff it again so Link told himself he would tell Shad after he had his breakfast.

Link didn't tell Shad. He had forgotten again after he had eaten and went outside and plucked and prepped the turkey and got it into the oven. And he had had the perfect chance to do so too, once Rusl had stepped outside to make a check on the whole goat he was smoking for the feast.

It had been the two of them alone, with Link keeping an eye on the turkey and Shad working on his beef and keeping an eye on Link to make sure he didn't eat any raw turkey. He could have told him then and it would have made a much better apology for touching him with his cold hands earlier than what he had actually done—hugged him from behind and coaxed him into a good mood by whispering sweet nothings in his ear and kissing his shoulder, which hadn't been as romantic as it would've been since Shad was taller than him and Link had to stand on his tiptoes and still hadn't been able to whisper properly in his ear.

But Link hadn't told him and it was late into the afternoon and since it was cold and snowing this year, the village decorated Bo's sumo ring with orange and brown ribbons and corn wreathes and set up a table in the center of the ring and two others nearby, one for the kids and another to place food on because, like every year, there was too much to set on one table.

There were three turkeys, a ham, slices of Rusl's whole smoked goat, and fried Ordon catfish. There was Uli's cucco and rice soup, Bo's pumpkin soup, and Pergie's barley and goat soup. They had all their usual trimmings—fried apples, dressing, cranberries, corn, mashed pumpkin and sweet potatoes, and fried greengill-green bean casserole. Fado had even made his goat cheese biscuits. And that still didn't include dessert.

And this year, they had something new and from Castle Town because Shad was new to their table and from Castle Town. Link had told him he didn't need to bring anything since they would have plenty but he had insisted on bringing something because he had said it was polite to do so. So Shad had made Beef Wellington for the village to try. Link had never heard of it before and actually had never had beef before until Shad had made his dish for Link to try and say whether he thought the village would like it. It wasn't bad, the meat tasted different, but it wasn't bad. It tasted a lot better with a little pumpkin ketchup on it, Link thought, but everything tasted better with a little pumpkin ketchup on it.

As Shad brought in his platter of finished Wellingtons and was placing them on the table, Talo came over and asked if he could have some bread and Shad explained what his easily mistakable loaves really were.

"What's beef?" Colin asked after Shad said what his dish was.

"It is meat from a cow," Shad explained.

"What's a cow?" Talo immediately asked.

The question seemed to throw Shad for a moment. "Pardon? You are unfamiliar with cows?" The kids nodded. "Er…well, how to explain… Cows are four-legged hoofed creatures that consume grass and live on farms and are raised for their meat and milk."

"So they're goats," Talo said.

"No, they are not goats."

"Sounds a lot like goats to me," Malo said wryly, narrowing his eyes at Shad in doubt. "Is there even a difference?"

"Uh, er, well…simplistic description wise, they do appear to be identical creatures, however cows…" Shad paused and looked up as he considered his answer. "I suppose the difference between the two creatures would be that female cows do not have horns and the males' horns do not merge into a circle over time like an Ordon goat. And the taste of their meat and milk differs from that of a goat."

"Are there lots of cows in Castle Town?" Beth asked. "I bet you can find anything in Castle Town! Ooh, I want to go there someday…"

"Actually there is a small stable by the west gate that holds more Ordon goats than cows but most cows are raised outside the city. You can readily purchase their meat in town, however."

"Oh? Rusl made a lot of bread this year, I reckon," Fado said, walking up to the table and carrying a plate stacked with loaves.

And once again Shad explained what his Wellingtons were and what beef was but when a clearly confused Fado asked what a cow was, Talo perked up and said, "It's a funny-horned goat!"

Link watched as he saw his scholar open his mouth to explain in detail how it was not but then he decided there was no point in the matter and closed his mouth and simply nodded his head yes.

With the feast ready and everyone sitting down to eat, Bo recited the Harvest Gratitude prayer and as the mayor was bringing the traditional prayer to a close, Link swore he could hear a faint pecking noise somewhere in the room. It sounded like something hitting against pottery so Link just thought one of the kids was sneaking bites while everyone's eyes were closed. But as the prayer ended and everyone loaded up their plates, Link swore he heard the sound of something wobbling nearby. With a shout from Beth and her point guiding everyone to look, Link finally saw the not-so-empty pot wobbling on the floor.

A few of the villagers spoke of their concerns and Rusl, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, stood up from his seat to investigate. Link stopped him and assured him he knew exactly what it was and that he'd take care of it. Taking his word for it, Rusl sat back down and Link got up instead and picked up the pot. Holding the pot above his head as he did for all their meetings, the pot wobbled a bit and then broke and the strange human-faced cucco that was Ooccoo and the flying baby's head that was her son, Ooccoo Jr., squawked and fell onto the dirt floor.

"Gracious, are you all right, son?" she asked and her boy said yes. "My, I am glad we were able to escape. Thank you, adventurer."

"Link, do you know these…creatures?" Rusl asked, an eyebrow raised in uncertainty.

"Are we eating them too?" Talo asked.

"No, they are my friends," Link said and smiled. "Everyone, this is Ooccoo and her son, Ooccoo Jr. They're Oocca."

Shad's eyes widened in surprise. "Oocca? You mean they are…sky beings?" He sat up, awe and excitement awash across his face. "All my life, my father's ambition, I have searched for proof of the existence of the sky beings."

As Shad quickly made his way around the table, Link noticed his dear happy scholar fiddling with his fingertips as he did only when he was nervous or very excited and while he may have been a bit nervous, there was no doubt that he was very excited.

"Pardon my rudeness," he said, giving Ooccoo and her son a short polite bow. "My name is Shad and I am scholar and I am ever so glad to meet you."

"Oh gracious, it's a pleasure," she said, offering her wing to shake. "I hope we aren't a bother. You see, it's been a long time since we've seen the adventurer and my son and I decided we should see how he was doing. It was the least we could do after he had so graciously helped us return to our home."

"Your home? You mean the City in the Sky?" Shad said and then looked at Link and asked, "Have you been to the City in the Sky?"

Completely not ready to answer that and hesitating to do so, Link opened his mouth but before he could give a very awkward, drawn-out yes, Ooccoo answered Shad for him. "Oh yes, scholar, he has." And then she turned to Link and said, "You really should visit again, adventurer. Things are much more calmer now, thanks to you, and I would love to show you properly around this time."

"You have been to the City in the Sky…" he said, too calmly and too measured and Link did not like the sudden sharpness in his dear scholar's eyes. "You have met the Oocca, the sky beings for which I dedicated my life to discovering, for which my father gave his life dreaming to accomplish. I have been searching and searching, I have tirelessly and painstaking scoured over every potential clue to discern their whereabouts and all this time you knew _exactly _where they were and you _never told me_!"

Link winced at his raised voice. "Shad, it isn't like that—"

"Is it? Is it not exactly what you have done?" the scholar said in an accusing tone. "Answer me, have you known where they were and have you not told me?"

"…Yes," Link replied reluctantly.

"Then it is _exactly_ as it appears, old boy!" Shad hurried past Link and left the sumo ring. Link followed after him.

"No, it's not…" Link said as Shad grabbed his longcoat and slipped it on. "Wait…Shad!"

Pulling Bo's door closed behind him, Shad left.

For a second, he felt trapped in a freezard's ice breath before it finally occurred to him that this might be it. Shad was angry. Shad had never been this angry, ever but especially with him. They had argued before but no matter what Shad had always stayed and listened.

Link heard someone approach behind him but pause in the open doorway between the mayor's house and dojo and he looked over his shoulder and saw it was Rusl. They met eyes briefly—Rusl's offered reassurance and also appeared curious to see what Link would do while Link's eyes simply looked worried and miserable.

If Shad had just stayed and listened, he could have explained himself and maybe Shad wouldn't be so angry with him or wouldn't be angry with him at all. If he just could have explained himself…

That was it then. He was going to explain himself.

"Link, stay!" Rusl said as Link rushed to grab his hunting jacket and run after Shad. "It'll be all right. Give him time."

"But—"

"He's upset, Link," Rusl said as he wrapped his arm around his shoulders and led him back to the table. "Let him calm."

"You really never told him what you found?" Ilia asked as Link sat back down beside her and tried his best not to look at Shad's empty chair across from him.

Link nodded and immediately Ilia grabbed his ear and twisted and pulled it.

"Ow! Ow! I know! I know! I messed up!" he shouted until she let go of his ear. Hunching over, Link bowed his head and grumbled, "I'm going to need a lot of cake to get out of this…"

"You're going to need a lot more than cake, Link," Ilia said, needling her disbelieving stare into him. "Really, how could you?"

"Gracious, have we caused a fuss?" Ooccoo asked.

"No, Ooccoo, it's my fault," Link said. "You see, Shad has always wanted to know more about the Oocca and the City in the Sky and I've kind of never told him about you or shown him the City."

"Oh, well…" Ooccoo said, her words drifting off as she paused to consider, "I would be happy to meet a friend of the adventurer and you are welcome to bring him to our home."

"Thank you, Ooccoo. That's great," Link said, flashing her a weak smile before bowing his head once more and sighing. "Now if only he'll talk to me again…"

Little by little, everyone offered him their reassurances and little by little, everyone picked up their forks and returned to the feast. Everyone but Link. He couldn't bring himself to eat anything else. Ilia tried to encourage him to eat and then Ooccoo joined in but the few times Link picked up his fork, he only moved his food around.

"I'm sorry. I won't ruin things," Link said, rising from his seat. "I'll eat later, okay?"

Uli nodded and said something about saving both of them a plate. The laughter from the kids' table hushed as all the kids, including Ooccoo Jr. perched on Colin's shoulder, watched Link leave.

Link grabbed his hunting jacket but did not put it on. He walked back to his house, the snow blowing down quicker around him. There was a good chance Shad was there and maybe it was too soon to talk to him but Link wanted to see him and judge for himself whether or not he could explain himself yet or whether to simply wait with him.

Shad wasn't home.

He sat down in a chair and waited and soon waiting frustrated him so he rose in a huff and paced about the room and waited. He lit the cooking fire for warmth. He shouted at a squirrel that had crawled through the hole in his roof. Shouting at something certainly had made him feel somewhat better but it hadn't made Shad come back and listen to him so it hadn't fixed anything.

As he watched the fat snowflakes fall and the time grew closer and closer to twilight, Link didn't want to wait anymore. Sliding on his hunting jacket, he headed out, not even bothering with his ladder and simply hopped down. There were few places in the village that Shad might go and Link doubted he would be there. Doubting he would wander into the forest with it being so cold, there was only one place he would go outside of the village to be alone and that was the spirit spring.

Shad sat with his arms wrapped around his legs, drawn close, on the silt beach. His eyes were fixed on the fairies fluttering and dancing above the water but he doubted he was truly paying attention to them.

Link considered saying something and, in fact, opened his mouth to say something but decided against it at the last moment. He winced at his hesitation and rubbed the back of his head in nervousness. But at last, he gathered the nerve to step forward.

But then Shad spoke.

"Before you utter even a sound of whatever banal apology you have strung together, allow me to speak first," he said, still sounding irritated but he was calm. "I cannot believe you have known all this time and did not inform me. You have no idea how hurt and betrayed I feel right now. It is not simply that you knew and did not tell me. It is because of that and the fact that you are fully aware of what my research on the Oocca means to me and that you have stood beside me offering support while withholding such critical information. You claim to love me and yet you kept this a secret."

"But I do love you and it wasn't a secret—"

Still sitting, Shad twisted around as best he could to face Link and shouted, "Then how could you press your lips to mine but, Goddesses forbid, you never once let them speak a word about the Oocca!"

"I was going to tell you, I swear," Link said, walking up and dropping to his knees to sit beside him. "I was waiting to tell you and I waited too long. It was just… Now that you know they exist, what do you plan on doing now?"

"Well, I…" Shad paused to think as the snow fell around them. "I am not entirely positive. For years, I have dreamed of discovering the sky beings and the City in the Sky, however, in truth, I have not allotted much consideration to my plans after their existence was proven. …I suppose I will study their culture."

"And what all goes into that?" Link asked but Shad could only answer him generally but specifically. "Does the world have to know about them yet?"

"Ah well, yes," Shad said and then seemed to realize Link's concern with the matter. "But I suppose it is not a necessity that I announce their existence just yet."

"That's part of why I didn't immediately tell you," Link explained. "When I was in the City, I started thinking maybe it would be best just to leave them alone. They had just lived through the rampage of a dragon and you telling the world they exist might make things worse for them. I was going to tell you, I swear. I just wanted to make sure they'd be safe."

"That is an absolutely reasonable concern, old boy," Shad said. "And I will assure you that I will thoroughly research the Oocca before I ever inform the world. Call it selfish, however this has been my lifelong dream so I will not allow my naysaying colleagues the opportunity to seize upon my well-rewarded endeavor for their own profit. I am and desire to remain the eminent authority on the Oocca."

"I'll admit when I was waiting for the right time to tell you, I forgot. Many times."

"Yes, well…" Shad's smile seemed rather amused. "Indeed, you are easily distracted at times."

"I am not easily distracted," Link denied.

"My dear, I requested a few months back for you go to the market and retrieve for me a bottle of cream and a leek. It should have taken you exactly five minutes, however you returned no less than an hour late because you had played fetch with the street pups and made friends with every cat."

"I have to," Link said. "They follow me."

"That does not excuse my point that you are easily distracted," Shad said, still smiling. "As we rode into Ordon, you stopped to catch a bug."

"Hey, I can get good rupees from Agitha for that bug," Link replied, making Shad laugh. Link didn't see what was all that funny. He really could get good money from that bug.

Still he was happy to see Shad smiling and laughing again.

"And so," Shad said, taking a hold of Link's hand, "because you had the Oocca's best interest in mind and I know truly that you would not intentionally hurt me, I do believe I forgive you for not telling me about the sky beings until now."

"…You do?" Link asked, just to be sure. "And you still love me?"

"Of course, I still love you, old boy," Shad said as he rose to standing and brushed the silt from his longcoat. "And I do forgive you, though mind you I am still highly vexed by you so if I were you, I would not attempt any of your mischievous games with me."

"I was only playing but I get it," Link said, smiling, as he first wrapped his arm around Shad's waist and then turned and wrapped him in a hug. He wanted to kiss him too but even on the tip of his toes, his puckered lips couldn't quite reach.

"Now this would be much more romantic if you were a hair taller," Shad said, his smile much too pleased. "Shall I find you a box?"

"Shut up and bend your neck."


	3. Chapter 3

Series Title: Our First Year

Disclaimer: Still don't own Twilight Princess.

Author's Notes: As always, thanks to Kitade for reviewing. I was really pushed for time to get this done in time. Because when you work in retail during the holidays, time at home is a mythical unicorn—I've heard of it but I haven't seen it myself.

Title comes from my favorite Christmas song, though the song itself isn't about Christmas. There's a bit of dialogue that's supposed to mirror the lyrics of the song but I'm not sure how well I got that across. I'll be honest I'm not so sure how well-written this story will be. Normally, I would work on it until it felt right but deadline plus work doesn't equate to writing and editing time. My head has basically been mush whenever I do get the time to write.

However, thanks for reading and happy holidays one and all.

-o-

Yuletide (Christmas): Baby, It's Cold Outside

-o-

Link wanted to tell him. He wanted to tell Shad what his big surprise was and show him the picture and see the look of shock turn to overwhelming joy on his face when he at last told him. If only he had the power to move time like his ancestor, he could speed through the night and make it morning already. Or just later tonight because that was better because it was sooner and Link really wanted to tell him. It wasn't fair that only he was excited—Link wanted to spread his joy around.

But even if Link wanted to tell him tonight, he couldn't. Not yet at least. Ilia and Ashei were over and while there was nothing stopping him from telling Shad in front of them, it would ruin the picture, the perfect, cozy portrait of warmth and cheer he had imagined over and over to himself months ago. Link had decided and planned out this night and that was how things were going to be.

So Ilia and Ashei had to leave. But they weren't. They were having a good visit, yes, but their being here put a bubble in Link's plans. He was fine celebrating the holiday all day with them tomorrow if they wanted to but he just wanted tonight. Alone. With Shad.

No, he was going to wait. He had to, even if his impatience was jumping up and down and telling him over and over to tell him already. Link told himself no. But knowing what he knew and being so eager to tell Shad anyway and watching his scholar sit so calmly on the futon sofa and tinker with his metal cannon only made him squirm with excitement more. He wanted to tell him now…

First, he had to get the cookies out of the bread oven before they burned, though. His kitchen was buzzing, bubbling, and crackling with holiday treats. The sugar and cinnamon baking in their cookies mixed with the bubbling hot apple cider boiling in a pot over his cooking flame. Fresh eggnog chilled in his cellar and two loaves of fruitcake—one traditional, thus finely-chopped and the other chunky and stuffed with extra nuts and dried fruit—cooled on the table.

As Link put in the next batch, he stared at the last sheet cooling on his countertop and wondered if he should do a taste test—just to make sure the insides were done, of course. Sure, the sides and tops were a perfect golden brown but maybe the insides weren't and maybe Link needed to put more wood in the oven.

Flipper in hand, Link inched his way over to the cooling sheet of cookies and hovered over them as he decided which looked the most delicious…er…possibly underdone.

"For your own good, step away this instant, old boy," he heard Shad say in an unamused voice from the sofa, just as he was sliding the flipper beneath his choice cookie. "…Or do you seek to make a repeat of the Gingerbread Incident this morning?"

"Gingerbread Incident, yeah?" Ashei said, raising an eyebrow.

She and Ilia were both sitting on wooden rocking chairs Link had dragged out of hiding. Link had chairs. He just never used them. Until Shad had come along and into his life, he never even had a bed—he had just slept in a hammock. Now, he had a bed that was also their sofa in the daytime and his chairs finally knew what the outside of his cellar looked like.

"Link, you didn't…" Ilia said in disbelief.

Link winced in memory of his awful pain this morning after he had stuffed a whole gingerbread man seconds out of the oven into his mouth. While he had tasted some sweet, spicy gingerbread, mostly he had tasted pain until a cold glass of eggnog had rescued him. He had actually just gotten most of his feeling back in his tongue a few minutes ago.

"…I was just checking," Link said innocently. "Just making sure they were done."

"They are done," Shad said. "Now retreat before you make a poor decision and you cause the whole village to know that you burned your tongue because you wouldn't stop eating cookies straight from the oven."

"Oh, everyone knows about that. It's pretty much expected. It's why Uli made him a herbal potion for pain this morning," Ilia said.

Sighing, Shad shook his head in disbelief. "You are no fool and you are a chap of sound intelligence, my dear. However why is it, as it pertains to food, you choose the worse possible decisions and assault your body? Burning your tongue once is foolish but you learn from the experience. Burning your tongue so frequently you are given a potion for pain beforehand in anticipation of your actions is downright idiotic and I say that with all the love in the world, my dear."

"Yea, well…put it like that, it is stupid," Link said sheepishly, stepping away and setting the flipper on the table. "But warm cookies are the best, you have to admit."

"Oh, I agree wholeheartedly," Shad said, picking up one of many books on the coffee table and skimming through it. "However, we are referring to _warm_ cookies. Not third-degree inducing."

He noticed the book Shad was reading detailed a drawing of a Sky Cannon's inner parts. The scholar studied it intently and sometimes tinkered with the inside of his own little cannon.

Since Hallowtide and seeing his own father's clockwork pieces, Shad had started studying clocks and gears and exploring his father's theory that steam could be a source of energy. His scholar had explained before and again and again to him how it worked but Link didn't really get how hot water could make metal parts move. Link wasn't sure it could be done and it kind of sounded like magic—Shad insisted it wasn't magic at all but science—but if anyone could figure out how to do it, he knew it would be Shad.

"Y'know, your books usually don't have this many pictures," Link said, grinning as he stood behind the sofa. Laxly wrapping his arms around the scholar's shoulders, he leaned forward and read over his shoulder. Or tried to. Most of the parts labeled on the picture were what Link called Shad words—long, hard, not easily said, and that Link had never heard before and didn't know what they meant. Fact, knowing most Shad's books, it was probably in another language altogether.

"Well, I suppose this cannot be considered a typical book. It is a reprint of the technical sketches of Groose the Fourteenth, a direct descendant of a great inventor of weapons and machines during what present historians call the Sky Era, a time when the people of Hylia lived in a land above Hyrule as it is known today. I speculate that the City in the Sky may very be this ancient land. I possess no evidence yet confirming my speculation, however I still believe it is valid on the basis of how many floating landmasses in the sky could there be?"

Link wondered if Shad ever knew how much his face lit up whenever he spoke about his research or even just the things he found interesting. Normally, he was such a calm, quiet young man, preferring to stay out of view and out of public attention, but as soon as he spoke about the Oocca, his eyes would sparkle, his face would warm with a flush, no, a glow of excitement, and his smile radiated charm and cheer. Link bet the scholar had no idea the kind of effect his smile could have.

"This is all so much," Ilia said, as she set her cup of cider on the table. "Sky beings, civil wars, cities in the sky… We never learned stuff like that from our history books. Did you, Ashei?"

"Nah, only book my dad had he used to keep the table level," Ashei said between decapitating a gingerbread man. "All I know about the past is what they teach every kid—the Goddesses created everything and left the Triforce when they left. People have been fighting over it for years so all the wars are the same to me. Don't see the point in studying the stuff I can see with my own eyes, yeah?"

"Well, it is important that we study the past so not to repeat the same mistakes in the future," Shad said.

"Preach that to the nobility, the royal council, the kings and queens," Ashei said. "Whoever has the power to make changes sure hasn't paid attention to whatever the last bastard before them did, yeah?"

"We're lucky to have Queen Zelda," Ilia said, looking down into her cup and swirling the last of her cider around. "She won't let anything happen to us like in those other kingdoms."

There was a brief moment of silence where none of the younger members of the Group said anything and merely looked at one another to see if any of them would speak in front of Ilia about the rumors concerning not Queen Zelda, but members of her council before Ashei said, "Well, if anyone knows how to fix the mistakes of the past, it's Zelda. She's the only one who knows everything that ever happened in every history book in Her Majesty's library. But you're working on that, Shad, aren't you, yeah?"

"Gradually, yes, I am. This book here, in fact, is one of Her Majesty's. A very rare printing, it is. This book actually possesses detailed information regarding Sky Cannons," Shad said. "I say, I do believe from all my research that Groose the Fourteenth is the only known source of information on Sky Cannons outside of the City. His notes describe that he is either the original discoverer or inventor of the Cannon, though I do believe I may have to re-acquaint myself with the Hylian of his era as the word utilized here could closely translate as either. …Still these sketches are absolutely fascinating!"

_I can think of one thing more fascinating…_ Link thought as his eyes traced the line of Shad's jaw and the curve of his lips in profile. "Hey, Shad…look," he said, pulling the tail of his cap over his shoulder. Pinned to the tip of his green cap was a small sprig of mistletoe.

Ashei rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out while Ilia merely smiled and softly giggled.

"You do realize that is supposed to be hanging above us for the tradition to properly take place," Shad said, smiling in amusement.

"Details…" Link said, lightly laughing as he flipped the tail of his cap over his head.

"Those details are what make tradition," Shad said, peering up at Link and matching his smile.

"We'll make new ones," Link said.

"Nothing says good times with friends and loved ones by making them watch you make out under a poisonous parasite, yeah?" Ashei said offhandedly and chugged down the rest of her eggnog.

"New traditions…" Shad considered. "A bit contradictory, is it not, my dear?"

"Are we going to kiss?" Link said, flattening his stare but keeping his smile. "Or are we going to debate?"

"Oh, I suppose we could kiss," Shad said playfully. "Though I must admit I take away great amusement from our brief pre-osculation conversations."

"Whatever that means," Link said, leaning down, "tell me later."

Shad tried to stifle his laughter. But just as their lips were about to meet, the scholar turned away and said, "Pardon, old boy, however, I say, what about the cookies?"

The strong burning smell of what possibly was overcooking cookies wafted between them. Panicking, Link rushed back. The second batch wasn't exactly burnt yet but they weren't perfect.

"You let Link under your waistcoat yet, yeah?" Ashei asked, nearly causing Shad to choke on his tea and Link to drop the entire hot pan of cookies on the floor or his own foot.

"I do not believe that is any of your business, _Miss_ Ashei," Shad said, peering about quickly and red-faced in embarrassment. "Do not think I did not see your show of disgust a moment ago either. Why do you care about our affections if you seem repulsed?"

"Oh, I stuck my tongue out 'cause you two are just so lovely-dovey, it hurts," Ashei said. "And I'm sticking my nose in because I know you. You'll kiss but you won't let it get any farther. You layer clothes on like chastity belts. Make it easy on yourself and just wear a sign that says, 'Do not touch'." She turned and said over her shoulder, "Come on, Link. You've been together five months and he's let you do nothing but kiss, yeah?"

From the kitchen, Link grinned in disbelief and shook his head. Even if it was true, he was staying out of this. "It's no big deal, Ashei. I can wait."

Ashei snorted in disbelief. "The way you work is amazing. You can't wait five minutes to get a gingerbread man into your mouth but you're willing to wait for—"

"I do believe that is a matter to be determined by us," Shad interrupted, a bit annoyed.

"But it's Yuletide's eve and it's cold. You're supposed to snuggle up with the ones you love," Ilia said. "And he won't say it to you but Link wants more."

"I haven't said that!" Link denied, his face red, as he shot her a look that told her to be quiet and that he had told her that in secret.

"I know what you need," Ashei said, smirking. "Break out the brandy, the rum! Surely, there's some whiskey in this village… Rusl got any? What about your father, Ilia?" Once more, she turned and said to Link, "Don't worry. We'll loosen his bowtie by the eve's end. You know what they say, candy is dandy but liquor is quicker, yeah?"

Ilia covered her hand over her mouth in a failed attempt to stifle her laughter while Shad looked absolutely outraged and Link just felt embarrassed and uncomfortable with everything. Maybe it was true that he and Shad had only kissed so far and that he was wanting a bit more but this was something for him and Shad to discuss together, not for their friends to prod over during their Yuletide gathering.

"We're just teasing, Shad," Ilia at long last said.

"I'm not, yeah?" Ashei said matter-of-factly.

Ilia moved over and around their decorated tree and sat down on the sofa with Shad. She leaned forward and looked at his project. "That's a really neat toy you're working on."

"Ah, pardon me, Miss Ilia, however this is not a child's plaything. It is a miniaturized, fully functional model representation of a Sky Cannon. It has taken me years to fabricate one and I do believe it is finally complete."

"Don't they make little wooden ones that pop out corks in Castle Town, yeah?" Ashei said.

"Yes, however those were crafted for the purposes of juvenile entertainment and engagement," Shad said, reorganizing his tiny tools back into their case.

"So going into the toy-making business, yeah?" Ashei said.

"Oh, yes, you should!" Ilia chimed in. "This is really amazing, Shad!"

"I am speaking Modern Hylian, am I not? I am not having a stroke or speaking in tongues so my words are absolutely coherent, correct?" Shad asked the room while Ashei smirked and Ilia nodded readily in response. "Then why is this repeatedly being mistaken as a toy? It is not a toy. It is an educational model."

"How does it work?" Ilia asked.

"Er, well…" Shad seemed taken aback by Ilia's eager interest but nonetheless was happy to explain. "I modified the ignition release mechanism from its original design to suit handheld-use. The device is fashioned nearly-identical to Link's clawshot, however it does not release a chain. The claws merely open and close like so." He demonstrated, twisting the bottom handle of the miniature clawshot back and forth as the top claw mirrored his actions.

"Because the most interesting part of a cannon is its key," Ashei said. "Come on, Shad, fire it already, yeah?"

"Well, I have yet to test it so I possess no indication of its potential firing power or the velocity its projectiles are capable of achieving," Shad said. "However, I can assure you that all internal machinery is in working order and once I have completed a rigorous safety check, I will indeed display it to you at a later gathering."

"Or we can just find out what it can do now," Ashei said, leaning up in her seat and looking around. "There's got to be something you can shoot from it around here, yeah?"

Ilia perked up. "Oh, I know! I've got the perfect cannonball."

"Er…but it is not…" Shad's voice was ignored over Ashei and Ilia's flurry of excitement.

Link knew that he should probably take Shad's side and stop matters but honestly after watching the scholar build the cannon from scratch and scrap metal for months now, he wanted to see the cannon fire just as much as the girls. It wasn't enough for him to just to go by Shad's word that it worked—it was about time he got to see it work.

Opening her gift basket of treats to them, Ilia pulled out a bag of small homemade popcorn balls, perfectly round and just the right size for the cannon's mouth. She tossed them to Ashei as Shad waved his hands, shook his head no, and protested but neither girl listened.

At last, Ashei got the little clawshot from Shad and figured out how to fire the cannon. For its tiny size, the little Sky Cannon was stronger than it looked. Certainly wasn't like the wooden pop cannons in Castle Town. Fact Link was pretty sure that a cork fired from it would leave the cork stuck in the wall. The popcorn ball shot across the room and broke against the floor.

"Oh dear, it appears it requires a few adjustments, some recalibrations to its strength," Shad said as he picked up a tiny screwdriver and resumed his tinkering.

"Works fine to me, yeah?" Ashei said, sliding the cannon away.

"To your standards, yes, however I would rather its punch be a bit less potent."

"It should be weakened," Ilia said, surprising Shad. "The boys might hurt themselves."

As he headed with a broom and pan over to clean up the popcorn crumbles, Link saw Shad scrunch his face up in growing frustration but he quickly breathed a calming sigh. "It is not a toy…" he said, his voice tense.

"Hey, Link," Ashei called as he crouched down and swept up the crumbles into the pan. "Catch, yeah?" She fired another popcorn ball at him.

Link caught it but it crumbled almost immediately in his mouth. A game quickly fell between Ashei firing the little cannon at different angles and Link running around catching popcorn balls. It was flying food, after all, and it was much tidier than having to clean up crumbles everywhere. Ilia laughed and cheered Link on while Shad did not look happy at all.

"Oh, I see what this is for…." Ashei said sarcastically. "It's a hands-free way of shooting food straight into Link's mouth. Exactly what the world needed, yeah?"

"I-Its purpose has never been that!" Shad said, growing flustered, his face reddening. "It is a model! A miniature functional model!"

"It's so cute," Ilia said, shooting another popcorn ball at Link. "The boys will love it! I can see them fighting over it now."

"_It is not a toy!_" Shad shot up from his seat.

"Fine, Shad. Why didn't you say so, yeah?" Ashei said, completely deadpan.

"I—" the scholar began to say, stopped, and then breathed a long sigh for relief as he sat back down. "If this ribbing is some orchestrated amusement between you two, might I also inform you that I neither appreciate nor take pleasure in your torment?"

Link watched as a small smirk spread across Ashei's face.

Time went by, more cider and eggnog was drunk, cookies kept disappearing, and Link kept hearing the chimes of his cucco clock grow longer and longer. He tried to subtly urge Ashei and Ilia to call it a night but subtle was never Link's strong suit. Both girls caught on, with Ashei raising an eyebrow and asking him he was kicking them out and with Ilia laughing it off and insinuating Link just wanted the night alone with Shad. Which was true but not in the way she meant.

When the girls at last thought it was time to head back, Link tried his best not to look too excited. Of course, he couldn't wait to celebrate the holiday with Ilia and Ashei all day tomorrow but he had been waiting all night to have his perfect planned moment and finally it seemed he could have it.

Or Link had thought he could have…

"I don't know…" Ilia said, peering through the window. "It's looking pretty bad out."

"Really?" Link said, pretending to be surprised. "Nah, just looks bad."

"It looks like Snowpeak out there," Ashei said. "Your winter's always like this, yeah?"

At the same time, Link shook his head yes while Ilia shook her head no. "No, must be a storm."

"It can get like this sometimes…" Link said.

"Actually, the meteorological signs did indicate a severe blizzard approaching," Shad said, pushing his slipped glasses back up. "Or should I say it has arrived?"

"Listen to that wind," Ilia said. "It's howling."

"Probably just whistling through some noisemakers," Link said. "Didn't the kids put some up?"

"Night or not, there's no way of seeing where you're going in that, yeah?"

"It's a straight walk…" Link said, smiling guiltily as Ashei, Ilia, and Shad all stared at him.

"My dear, may I have a word with you? Over here?" Shad said, motioning his finger in a come-with-me gesture but not without last saying to the girls and giving them a short polite bow, "Pardon us."

Head bowed, Link knew that if he could turn into a wolf, he would have his tail between his legs as he followed the scholar over toward the ladder leading down to his cellar on the other side of the room.

"What in the Goddesses' true names are you doing?" Shad whispered, keeping his voice low but stern. "Why do you keep urging the girls to depart in this weather? You and I both know it is much too severe."

"It's not that far…" Link said, hoping he could get away with it. "Not like they're heading back to Castle Town."

Shad's stare and frown were absolutely hard and unyielding. "I am going to pretend I did not hear that," he said. "However, if I had happened to have heard what you had just said, I would inform you of how utterly inconsiderate, discourteous, and downright selfish your words were."

"Well, just this once, can't I be selfish?" Link plead.

"Get the extra bedding out," Shad said.

"I have a good reason, I swear," Link insisted and Shad gave him the word of the doubt and listened. "I have a surprise for you and I wanted it to be just the two of us when I tell you so everything'll be perfect…" Shad's face still said no. "You'll be really, really happy to know…"

The scholar breathed a quick sigh of frustration. "My dear, it can wait until morning—"

"But I've been dying to tell you all day…"

"And it will have to wait," Shad said. "We have company—"

"Please…"

"_Go get the bedding,_" he said firmly through his clenched teeth.

Immediately, Link turned around, put on smile, and asked cheerfully, "Would you girls like to spend the night? It's awfully bad outside."

Both girls agreed with smiles, Ashei's a bit more on the smug side.

Link headed down and dropped from his ladder into his cellar. As he unlatched the crate holding his extra bedding, he saw Ashei follow him down and hold out her arms as if offering her help.

Of course, that wasn't the only reason she had came down. "Already whipped, yeah?" she said, still keeping her smug smile.

"Shut up…" Link murmured, tossing the thick blankets into her arms.

-o-

Link awoke in the middle of the night to the clacking of the open shutters from his top window. He tiptoed around Ashei and Ilia's sleeping bodies and inched around his and Shad's decorated tree—the scent of smoke from the individually snuffed out candles still wafted in the air. Link had to admit, after staring at it for weeks unlit, that the candles lit with the twirled red and green ribbons, the kids' popcorn strings, and hand-carved wooden ornaments definitely looked better than he had thought it was going to. All together, it was cute, quaint.

Peeking out the window, it was still blowing snow—so much so, Link thought a freezard had piled up along the main road running through the village—and from what he could see, a wall had mounded on his doorstep ledge. If Ashei and Ilia wanted to leave his house, all four of them would have to dig them out. The kids, however, if they could get out of their houses, were going to love all the snow in the morning.

Standing and admiring of what he could see from the lit lanterns lighting the village at night, Link at last closed the shutters and latched them tight. With the wind out of his ears, he finally picked up on creaking from the ladder. He looked and saw Shad stepping up to the platform.

"Ah, I see," he said. "The shutters awoke you before me this time."

"This time?"

"A good wind is enough to break that latch," the scholar explained. "We really should repair it soon."

"That's not why you're up here," Link said. "You knew I was up."

Shad angled his head down to the floor and ran his hand through his hair. "I was…I was just reconsidering…" he said. "Ashei's words rung with truth. I do guard myself with layers, physical or otherwise. I am not affectionate, in that I do not show much physical affection and I set too strict limits on you and myself. I am…a prude."

Link shrugged his shoulders. "Everybody's different. Some people's passion blaze like cooking flames. Others are candle flames slowing melting their wax. Neither is wrong. It's just which you are."

"Yes, and thank you, my dear," Shad said, offering him a small smile, which was barely visible in the dim light. "Which only serves to prove my point that I should be more affectionate with you. So I promise to be more intimate and open with you. Consider this an early present from me to you."

"Does that mean I can give you my surprise?" Link said quickly, grinning. Shad nodded and Link hurriedly pulled out the photograph he had tucked away inside his tunic pocket all day and handed it to him. It was a picture of a mama corgi with her six one-month-old pups.

When he finally had enough light to see what the photograph was, the scholar was speechless. Link wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad one since Shad rarely had nothing to say.

"It's the breed you like, right? I know you said there were two kinds."

"Correct, old boy," Shad said as he stared at the photograph as if it was a difficult translation to decipher. "However, I do not understand what this means…"

"It means, in a few weeks, you can pick out the one you want and it's yours. I've worked everything out already."

"Are you… We are…" Shad stumbled through his words before saying nothing at all for a brief time as his eyes darted from the picture and back up to Link and back down again. At last, he composed his thoughts and explained, "Mother never permitted me to own one and I begged her and Father desperately to allow me, however neither I nor Father could convince her otherwise. …I am quite taken aback that you have done this, old boy. I hope you are agreeable to having this pup around. I would not wish to inconvenience you."

"Shad, I'm buying it for you. I think I'm okay with having it around." Link lightly laughed. "This is the dog you want so I'll get it for you. It'll keep you company and get you away from your work when you need to be."

"Well, traditionally, corgis are herding dogs. They have been bred to work," Shad said. "The best environment for it would be agricultural community where it can herd livestock. I say, it would be vastly happier here in Ordon than stuck in my apartment in Castle Town."

"Huh? It's a herder? It can run on those stubby legs?" Link said, raising an eyebrow as he looked back at the mama corgi again. "So you get a friend and I get a partner and Fado gets some competition… Y'know, I'm lucky you like a working dog than one of those yappy lap dogs."

"No doubt my father's influence," Shad said. "He had a sheep dog growing up and always liked an active breed. He always advocated for me to have my corgi. He believed readily that a boy and his dog were the best of friends. I didn't have many friends growing up so a pup would have been a vast improvement."

"Well, you've got lots of friends now," Link said, smiling. "But that doesn't mean it's not time to get your dog either."

"Dear Goddesses, did one of you just crown yourself in mistletoe?" Ashei shouted from the floor. "'Cause all I hear when you two talk to each other is the sound of you two making out, yeah?"

"Aw, be nice, Ashei," Ilia said. "Let the lovebirds coo in their roost."

Immediately, Link started making cucco calls while Shad tried his best to hide his smile.

"You're lucky I like you boys," Ashei said, "so I'll give you a head's up before I plant you headfirst in the snow, yeah?"

"Now, Ashei," Shad said, obviously enjoying the chance to tease her as much as she had teased him earlier, "is that anything to say on Yuletide morning?"

"I call it spreading goodwill to all mankind," she said as she turned over and pulled her blankets around her. "Now shut up and go back to bed. The two of you can make out after we're gone, yeah?"

As Link followed after Shad down the ladders from his upper platforms, he noted he didn't have his picturesque perfect moment like he had planned but he did get to tell him and Shad was overjoyed just like he had hoped. He had spent the evening among friends and loved ones, toasting to good memories and future merriment, and ate popcorn balls shot straight out of a tiny cannon. So maybe it wasn't perfect but it was his Yuletide all the same.


End file.
